Knitted fabric and the production thereof



Feb. 22,, 1938.

KNITTED FABRIC AND THE'PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Feb. 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l JMEN roe By W H. A. RAYNOR 5 I Feb. 22, 19330 H, A RAYNOR 2,108,925

KNITTED FABRIC AND THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Feb. 14, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arraz/vss Feb. 22, 1938. x H, RAYNQR KNITTED FABRIC AND THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Filed Feb. 14, 1936 '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 f8 21 fi /fl i i 22 [w mun ulrnuu'lrlll g mun I 2 I I I q I Patented Feb. 22, 1938 riser Harry Avery Raynor, Nottingham, England Application February 14, 1936, Serial No. 63,925 In Great Britain February 15, 1935 13 Claims.

This invention comprises improvements in knitted fabric and in the production thereof. The type of fabric to which the invention refers is that embodying one or more thread bars, other than the stitch thread or threads, extending weft-wise of the fabric, i. e. in the direction of the stitch courses, and anchored in the fabric by stitch loops.

Heretofore a knitted fabric of the above type has been proposed embodying a transversely ex tending strand or plurality thereof locked in the fabric by loops of the fabric extending through the strand or each of same. In this proposed fabric, however, the transversely extending strand or each strand through which the fabric loops pass is constituted by a single thread such as a wrapped elastic thread individually introduced and locked in the fabric, and in the production of the fabric on a circular knitting only one strand is fed to the machine.

A characteristic feature of the present invention consists in providing a fabric of the type referred to wherein a weft-wise extending bar or each of a plurality thereof embodies a plurality of cores, pillars or strands extending alongside each other and so connected as to be simultaneously introduced into the fabric as a composite bar or braid and anchored in the fabric by loops which pass between said cores,'pillars or strands. By providing a plural core or plural stranded weft bar in lieu of a single strand weft, it will be appreciated that the production of the fabric is considerably facilitated, as any difficulty experienced causing a needle and stitch loop to pierce a single strand, and particularly the encircling covering of a single elastic or other thread is eliminated, it being a matter of comparative ease to pierce a composite weft bar or braid between the cores or strands. Additionally, the passage of loops between the cores or strands of a composite weft provides a more secure and positive anchorage of the Weft in the fabric.

Conveniently the weft-wise extending thread bar or each of same in the fabric according to this invention is constituted by a narrow braid embodying a plurality (e. g. two) of longitudinally extending pillars, one or more of which is or are anchored in the fabric by stitch loops of one course of stitches and another or others by stitch loops of the next succeeding course of stitches, and certain of the loops pass through the braid between said pillars.

Advantageously the fabric is a rib fabric, and the strands or pillars of the composite weft bar .or of each bar extend between-the front and rear stitch-loops of successively knitted stitch courses.

. The invention is particularly applicable to elastic knitted fabrics, i. e. fabrics including elastic threads; and in this connection the aforesaid compositeweft bar or each of selected of same secured in the fabric may embody a, plurality of'elasticstrands extending alongside each other and suitably bound together, one or more of said elastic strands being anchored by stitch loops of one stitch course and another or others by loops vofa succeeding course.

For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a face view of a portion of rib knitted fabric according tot-his invention.

- 2 is a section through the fabric.

Fig.3 is a face view of a modified fabric.

Fig. l is a, section of the fabric shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 to 14 inclusive are detail views illustrating successive steps the production of the fabric shown in Figs. land 2.

Hg. 15 is an elevational view of part of a, circular knitting machine for producing the fab ric.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged detail view of part of the machine shown in 15 but looking at same from the opposite side.

Fig. 17 a detail view showing one method of making a dual stranded weft for incorporating in the knitted fabric.

By way of example, the invention will now be described as applied to a rib knitted fabric, e. g.

a on-eand-one rib having incorporated therein weftwise extending elastic thread bars 1. Each of the said weft thread bars 9 may consist of two rubber -strands or threads 2 each wrapped with one or more-layers 3 of cotton or other desired yarn the wellknown manner, and the two wrapped rubber strands 2 being connected or bound together alongside each other so as to constitute a narrow braid, the covered elastic strands constituting longitudinal pillars in said braid. This braided weft l is so incorporated in the rib fabric that one of the covered elastic strands or pillars 2 extends between and is gripped between the front stitch loops 1 and rear stitch loops 5 of one stitch course, while the other covered elastic strand or pillar of the same braided weft extends between and is gripped between the front and rear stitch loops 4 and 5 of the next succeeding stitch course; the stitch loops at one side of the fabric, that is to say either the front loops 4 or rear loops passing through the braided weft I between the said elastic strands or pillars 2 so as positively to anchor the weft from displacement in the fabric.

The above-described fabric can be produced on any suitable type of rib knitting machine, and by way of example the production will now be described of a fabric according to Figs. 1 and 2 on a circular rib knitting machine, reference being made to Figs. 5 to 14 of the drawings. For convenience of description the operation of a single cylinder needle 6 and its co-operating dial needle I is referredto. Let it first be assumed that the cylinder needle 6 and the dial needle 1 have been retracted to the knock-over position with the last made stitch loops 8 and 9 carried in their hooks (Fig. 5) the cylinder needle 6 is now projected to a tucking height with the stitch loop 8 over the latch, the dial needle I being retained retracted (Fig. 6). The cylinder needle 6 during the lowering thereof is now brought round into engagement with a toothed or tricked rotatably mounted wheel or disc II) which is formed at its periphery with a horizontal channel I2 through which the dual stranded elastic braid I is fed, said braid being fed horizontally beneath the hook I I of the cylinder needle 6 in such a manner that the tip or point of the hook is caused during the continued downward movement or retraction of the needle to pierce the braid between the two elastic strands or pillars 2 thereof (Fig. '7). As the braid I is drawn by the needle hook II out of the channel I2 in the member ID said braid is brought into a position with the two strands 2 thereof located vertically one above the other (Fig. 8), and the needle 6 then passes beneath the periphery of a horizontal rotary disc or the like I3 which acts on the dual stranded braid I to press one of the strands thereof over to the back of the needle hook and bring the pressed over strand of said braid above the loop 8 (Fig. 9). The cylinder needle 6 and dial needle I are now simultaneously projected to a thread feeding position, and in doing so the stitch loop 8 on the cylinder needle together with the dual stranded braid I is cleared below the cylinder needle latch, and the stitch loop 9 on the dial needle is also cleared behind the dial needle latch, and a new thread I4 is fed to both needles. The cylinder needle 6 is now retracted to the knock-over position and in so doing a loop I5 formed from the thread I4 is drawn through the old loop 8 and through the braid I midway in its width between the elastic strands 2, said braid I being thereby knocked over with the old loop 8 (Fig. 11). Following this the old loop 9 is knocked over from the dial needle I and a new loop I6 is drawn thereby from the thread M (Fig. 12). The two needles 6, 'l are now simultaneously projected to clear the last formed loops I5 and I6 andvreceive further thread I! (Fig. 13), and said needles are operated in the customary manner to form further stitches from the last fed thread (Fig. 14).

By the above-described operation it will be seen that one of the strands 2 of the dual stranded braid I becomes embraced between stitch loops produced on the cylinder and dial needles, that is to say between the front and rear stitch loops of the fabric, and the second strand of the braid is so located as to become embraced between the cylinder and dial stitches produced at the next succeeding course, it being understood that at said second course the dual stranded braid is not fed to the needles. Thus it will be appreciated that the two strands 2 of the braided weft I are embraced in succeeding stitch courses, the cylinder needle stitch loops being drawn through the braid between the strands thereof so as positively to lock the braid in position.

By feeding the dual strand braid at alternate courses, that is to say by causing the needles to pierce said braid at alternate courses, an elastic strand is incorporated in each successive course of stitches as before-described. If desired, however, the stitch courses embodying the braided Weft may alternate with other courses devoid of weft. The weft I when incorporating elastic threads may be fed to the needles under suitable tension and means are provided for guiding the weft to the needles so as to ensure said needles piercing the weft between the elastic strands thereof.

In Figs. 15 and 16 is illustrated a part of a circular knitting machine showing more clearly how the dual stranded braid is fed to the cylinder needles. The braid I is drawn from a suitable rotatably mounted supply I8 and passed through a guide I9 and between the circumferential faces of a pair of truncated conical feeding rollers 20 resiliently pressed together by a spring 2| or other suitable means. The speed at which the braid I is fed to the machine can be adjusted downwards between the rollers 20 so as to coact with the varying diameters of said rollers, and this may be accomplished by imparting rotation to a screw-threaded rod 22 on which is mounted an arm 23 retained from rotation and carrying the guide I9, the rotation of the screw 22 traversing said guide arm 23 up or down as required. The braid I after passing between the feed rollers 20 enters a flat channel 24 of a fixed guide member 25, which channel 24 brings the braid into posi-t tion with the two strands 2 thereof horizontally disposed, and from this channel 24 the braid is guided into the horizontal channel I2 at the periphery of the aforesaid rotatably mounted toothed or tricked wheel I9, and the rotation of said wheel may be efiected by the needles coacting with the teeth or tricks thereof. This toothed and channelled wheel IB serves to feed the dual stranded braid I beneath the hooks of the descending needles and positively locate and hold said braid in the correct position for'ensuring that the points of the needle hooks successively pierce the braid midway in its width, i. e. between the strands 2; said braid being held up against the needle by which it is pierced. As

the needles leaves the teeth or tricks in the wheel I l the braid I assumes a position on the hooks with the strands 2 thereof one over the other one inside and the other outside the hooks. After piercing the braid and while the cylinder needles .varied without departing from the scope of the present invention. For instance fancy effects may be obtained by introducing at intervals different types of stitches and/or different kinds of as required by moving said braid upwards or stitch thread, and as an example a modified form of rib fabric is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein, as compared with the fabric shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an additional thread course 26 is introduced at predetermined intervals and tuck stitches 21 are formed in alternate needle wales at said additional courses, said tuck stitches preferably occurring in the wales produced by the dial needles I. If the additional course 26 with tuck stitches 21 is knitted immediately after introducing and anchoring each plural stranded weft bar I, and the tuck stitches are made in the stitch wales appearing at the back of the fabric, i. e. on the dial needles, the effect produced is to shorten or tighten-up the cylinder needle stitches which are drawn through the weft braid I at the front of the fabric, thereby bunching-up the fabric over the anchored weft braids I and forming outstanding ribs or lines running weft-wise of the fabric as at 28 in Fig. 4. The thread introduced for making the additional stitch courses 26 with tuck stitches may be different from that used in making the remainder of the fabric. For example, the main fabric may be made of cotton or wool and the additional courses 26 of artificial silk thereby producing projecting lines of artificial silk on the fabric face.

The braided weft I embodying the elastic strands 2 may be produced on any suitable braiding machine. For example, a machine may be employed wherein a plurality of spindles (e. g. six) traverse an endless track of double-loop or figure 8 formation, a rubber strand being fed within each loop of the track. In Fig. 1'7 is shown a small portion of dual stranded braid illustrating how same may be constructed. The two strands 2 are each spirally wrapped with cotton or like covering threads 29, and the strands so wrapped are bound together side by side by binding threads 30 which pass alternately over one covered strand and beneath the other strands in the manner of a double-loop or figure 8, the said binding threads intersecting each other between the two strands so as to space or divide said strands sufficiently for enabling a needle to pierce the braid between same. Where the covered or wrapped strands 2 are of rubber the spiral twist of the covering 29 of one strand is advantageously opposite to that of the other strand, as shown at 30 in Fig. 17, so that the finished braid is maintained fiat.

I claim:- 7

1. A knitted fabric embodying at least one weft bar, other than the stitch thread or threads,

anchored in the fabric by stitch loops thereof, which weft bar embodies a plurality of cores, pillars or strands extending longitudinally side by side and connected thereto, so as to be capable of simultaneous introduction into the fabric as a composite bar or braid, and is anchored in the fabric by thread loops that pass between the said cores, pillars or strands.

2. A knitted fabric according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the cores, pillars or strands of the composite weft bar is gripped or held by stitch loops appertaining to one course of stitches and the remaining core, pillar or strand is gripped or held by stitch loops appertaining to a subsequently knitted course of stitches.

3. A knitted fabric according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the cores, pillars or strands of the composite weft bar is anchored in the fabric by stitch loops of one course of stitches and another of said cores, pillars or bars by stitch loops of the next succeeding course of stitches.

4. A knitted fabric according to claim 1 constructed as a rib fabric and having the longitudinally extending cores, pillars or strands of the composite weft bar held between the front and rear stitch loops (oppositely drawn loops) of successively knitted stitch courses.

5. A knitted fabric according to claim 1 wherein the anchored composite weft bar embodies a plurality of elastic cores, threads or pillars extending alongside each other and bound together by thread passing transversely to and fro from one core to another.

6. A knitted fabric according to claim 1 constructed as a rib fabric and embodying in predetermined of the stitch courses tuck stitches which draw up the fabric on one face thereof to provide weft-wise extending ribs.

7. A knitted fabric according to claim 1 wherein predetermined of the stitch courses embody tuck stitches at alternate stitch wales.

8. A knitted fabric according to claim 1 wherein predetermined of the stitch courses embody thread different from that from which the remainder of the fabric is knitted.

9. A method of producing knitted fabric which consists in introducing at predetermined times a plurality of weft-wise extending strands or threads, which are connected or bound together alongside each other prior to introduction to the fabric and simultaneously fed as a single composite weft bar, and anchoring said bar by passing predetermined of the stitch loops of the fabric through the bar between the strands so that at least one of said strands is gripped or held by stitch loops of one knitted course and the remaining strand or threads by stitch loops of the next succeeding course.

10. A rib knitted fabric embodying at least one straight weft bar, which bar embodies at least two elastic cores bound together to extend longitudinally side by side and constituting a composite weft bar, and is anchored in the fabric by stitch loops which pass through the division between said elastic cores, wherein at least one core of said composite bar is gripped between oppositely drawn stitch loops of one course of stitches while the remainder is gripped between oppositely drawn loops of the next succeeding stitch course.

11. A rib fabric according to the last preceding claim wherein outstanding ribs are formed weftwise at intervals by tightening or drawing up the stitch loops which pass through and anchor the composite weft bars.

12. A fabric according toclaim 1 wherein the composite weft bar comprises two elastic cores individually covered by spiral wrappings, whereof the wrapping of one core is in an opposite direction to the wrapping of the other core, and. the said wrapped cores are connected together side by side by an additional wrapping the thread or threads of which intersect between the cores.

13. A knitted fabric embodying in addition to the stitch loops constituting it, a weft bar comprising a plurality of cores and binding thread binding them together, in which fabric certain stitch loops transfix the weft bar and extend between the cores thereof.

HARRY AVERY RAYNOR. 

